ARISTAIOS

Greek Name

Αρισταιος

Transliteration

Aristaios

Latin Spelling

Aristaeus

Translation

Most Excellent (aristos)

ARISTAIOS (Aristaeus) was the only one of the Gigantes (Giants) to survive their war against the gods. He fled to the island of Sikelia (Sicily) where his mother Gaia (the Earth) transformed him into a dung-beetle.

He was perhaps identified with the deity Aristaios who was sometimes described as a Titan- or giant-son of Ouranos.

PARENTS

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Suidas s.v. Aristaios (trans. Suda On Line) (Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.) :
"Aristaios (Aristaeus) : One of the Gigantes (Giants), who survived . . . Aristaios, the story goes, was the only Gigante to survive, on the Sikelion (Sicilian) mountain called Aitne (Etna); the fire of heaven did not reach him, and nor did Aitne harm him."

Suidas s.v. Aitnaios kantharos (trans. Suda On Line) (Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.) :
"Aitnaios kantharos (Dung-beetle of Etna) : The big [kind]. Because the mountain [is] also big. They say that Aristaios (Aristaeus) was the only Gigante (Giant) to survive; the fire of heaven did not reach him, nor did Aitna (Etna) harm him."